


Social Liar

by SuperPsychoNutcase



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alya Césaire Bashing, Clara Nightingale - Freeform, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I need help, I'm just obsessed with Damianette, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is a Sweetheart, Marinette Equals Success, Mentioned Bruce Wayne, Mentioned Damian Wayne, Mentioned Dick Grayson, Mentioned Jason Todd, Nadja Chamack - Freeform, Prince Ali - Freeform, Tag As I Go, class salt, eventually, implied Damianette, lila centric, not really a crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:08:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26872705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperPsychoNutcase/pseuds/SuperPsychoNutcase
Summary: Lila Rossi is a social climber. She lies, cheats, and bribes her way into the community’s good graces even if it means she has to tear someone down. To Lila, Paris was just another stage with an audience of fools. She would lie her way to the top of the hierarchy and destroy anyone that threatened her ascension.If only she could have seen the diamond in the rough that was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
Comments: 189
Kudos: 1306





	1. Kickin' with Stone

**Author's Note:**

> I present to you a series of interconnected one shots where Marinette gets the connections Lila can only lie about having. :3

Lila did it. 

She threatened to take all of Maribrat’s friends away and, heavens above, it was the easiest betrayal she had ever orchestrated. 

Honestly, Maribrat should thank her. Of all the cliques and social groups that she had weaseled her way into, this one had to be made of the dumbest and most fairweather floozies Lila had ever encountered. Lila had heard of the things the ex-class president had done; amazing field trips, successful fundraisers, sports banners and clothes. All for free, because she was just that generous of a friend. After seeing some of the products of Marinette’s creative mind, Lila was almost sad that she hadn’t managed to trap the girl in her web of lies.

No matter. She was too much of a goody two shoes anyhow. Maribrat was a pushover who was far too needy for approval to ever make a good ally. 

“It’s too bad you couldn’t get us those tickets, but at least the concert is being filmed live!” Alya collapsed on the couch next to Lila with a big bowl of buttery popcorn and two sodas. Lila accepted the can and faked a flinch to have someone else open it. Suckers.

She addressed the group with a sorrowful smile. “Yeah. Uncle Jagged wanted us to go, but I knew these orphans at a shelter I volunteer at really wanted to see his show. I just couldn’t take that opportunity from them.”

The click cooed over her, praising her for her generosity and kindness. Lila took it all in with smug satisfaction. This is what she deserved after a life constantly on the move with a deadbeat, actor wannabe dad.

The big screen tv in Adrien’s room showed Jagged Stone walking to center stage. He was dressed stylishly in black with purple highlights. When he turned around, the crowd and friend group applauded the amazing embroidery on the back depicting an impressive dragon with a crocodile body and expansive wings that turned to fire that encircled the entire image. It was a masterpiece, a true work of art that could only have been done by hand. Every shift of the camera caught the shimmer of scales that winked in and out of existence with each angle. “Good evening, Paris! How do you all like my new rockin’ jacket?!”

The crowd on the tv roared in approval. The rockstar turned back around, hands situated on his guitar, and he addressed the hoard of fans. “This first one is for the designer of this rockin’ jacket! My favorite designer and my honorary niece, Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

Bustier’s class were silent as they gaped at the screen that now displayed their bully of a classmate. She was obviously hidden in the wings of the stage and blushing madly as she waved at the camera with a bashful smile on her face. Her backstage pass flopped in the wind from the lanyard around her neck. The view switched back to Jagged as he started his set, but the group in Adrien’s room were too busy gushing to pay any mind to Jagged’s new song. 

“Wow, can you believe it!”

“A bully like her?”

“Wait, didn’t she design for him before?”

“Yeah. She did his album cover a year back, remember?”

“And a poster of his if my memory is correct.”

“I’m so happy for her!”

“Does this mean she’s a professional designer now?”

“Why didn’t she say anything?”

“I’ll need to hunt her down for an interview!”

Lila vaguely heard her classmates talking. The brunette was reeling from the sudden bomb that landed on her. Since when did Maribrat know Jagged Stone? How did she even get a chance to design for an A-list client like him?

“Hey Lila, did you know about this?”

The sound of her name snapped her out of her funk. Still dazed and shocked over seeing that weak little bug getting praised on live tv, Lila scrambled to maintain control. “N-no. I didn’t know.”

Sabrina rubbed her shoulders sympathetically. “It must be hard seeing your uncle working with that bully.”

Kim nodded, “Maybe you should tell him what Marinette is really like so he’ll stop giving her positive publicity!”

“Yeah!” Alya crowed in agreement. “I’ll post it on his twitter account now!”

Dread swelled in Lila’s chest as she thought of all the ways that could go wrong. Lying about knowing a rockstar was one thing, but another to draw attention to herself. Blasting someone Jagged Stone just praised and claimed as family on air would bring a lot of negative attention her way. Those interviews on the Ladyblog would be examined, her lies brought to light, and her kingdom would crumble to nothing. 

Her hands flew up to latch onto Alya’s arm. “No! I mean, Marinette worked so hard to get where she is today. I’d hate to be the reason to rip it all away from her.”

The piss poor excuse of a journalist glared, not so much at Lila but at the subject of discussion. “Why? She doesn’t deserve to be famous! She’s a jealous, petty bully!”

As fun as it was to sic Maribrat’s own best friend on her like a well trained dog, Lila almost regretted how well she had twisted the class’ opinion of their once beloved Everyday Ladybug. “I know, and I already told him! He uh… he thinks that she’s acting out and he wants to give her a good role model.”

Alya relaxed and her smile of adoriation returned. “That’s so nice of him! Maybe hanging out with him will make Marinette loosen up a bit.”

Nino beamed, “It’s a brilliant plan, dudette. She’ll be so busy designing for him that she won’t have time to bully you!”

Lila agreed with a smile and sagged in relief. She spent the rest of the evening stewing over this new development and pondering ways to turn it in her favor. 

Meanwhile Adrien watched on in pride of Mari’s accomplishments, assured in his belief that taking the high road was starting to work.


	2. Sing like a Nightingale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So what if Maribrat designs for Jagged Stone. Big whoop! It's not like she starred in any of his music videos.

Marinette had become a hot topic at Francois Dupont, and Lila despised her new found fame. Students flocked to the girl for autographs and pictures and questions about what working with Jagged Stone was like. The class swarmed Marinette when she flung herself into the room, but she brushed them off without so much as a hello and good morning. The group grumbled and griped about her dismissive behavior, and the loudest complaints came from Alya. The reporter hounded Marinette for an interview despite being told no several times. When begging didn’t work, the girl resorted to derisive comments and guilt trips. When she tried pulling the friend card, Marinette finally snapped out of her cold aloofness to glare at her ex-friend. 

“You made it very clear that we were not friends when you took Lila’s word over mine without so much as a lick of research.” Marinette’s genuine eyes had turned cold like heartless sapphires. “Don’t you dare call yourself my friend because I’m suddenly worthy of your attention now.”

Alya gave an infuriated huff and stormed back to her seat. Lila took the moment of satisfaction of seeing Alya turning her back on Maribrat, but the feeling was hollow. Marinette was growing in international fame while Lila stagnated as a Gabriel model. Adrien had entered a relationship with the Ice Queen, Kagami, and his father was more than pleased with the match. Any dream of a relationship with him flew out the window at the announcement. She continued to model for the brand, as he promised, but she noted that she wasn’t invited to nearly as many shoots as she used to be and her pictures were far and few in between as compared to the other models.

Weeks passed and Rose sent everyone a text with a link to Clara Nightingale’s newest music video. Lila was at a cafe with Alya and Nino when she first clicked the link. She had taken a big sip of her iced coffee and promptly spat it out when a familiar form made an appearance in the background. 

“Woah! Is that Marinette!” Nino pointed at his girlfriend’s screen. Lila was overcome with the desire to punch him.

Sure enough, Marinette had somehow wormed her way into being a backup dancer for Clara. She moved fluidly along with Nightingale and if she wasn’t mistaken, that was the French-Chinese girl’s voice layered in with the backup vocals. Though Clara’s outfits were designed to be eye catching, the dancers looked just as dazzling as the singer. Marinette’s signature could be seen in each dress, marking them as her own creations.

Alya groaned, “Seriously! First Jagged, now Clara!”

Lila’s hand squeezed her glass so tightly she was surprised it didn’t shatter. “So that’s what Clara meant when she said she had another dancer in mind.” She hadn't even meant to lie that time. It just slipped out. It was habit at this point.

Both Alya and Nino looked up, distracted for the moment. “What do you mean?”

The brunette attempted a crestfallen pout, but she knew some of her anger was leaking through. “When I learned about Clara looking for dancers for her next video, I called her up to offer my services. For old times sake, you know? Maybe show her some new moves. But when I asked, Clara said she knew everything she needed to know about me and already had a perfect dancer. She hung up on me and we haven’t spoken since.”

Everyone in the cafe turned to look at her table when the tearful confession made Alya slam her fist on the table in rage. “That bitch!”

Nino waved at the onlookers and tried to soothe his girlfriend before she got the three kicked out. Lila watched as Alya started tapping at her screen with a look of seething anger etched into her face. Nino peered over her shoulder in curiosity. “Uh babe, what are you doing?”

“I’m going to announce Marinette for the bully she is and blast Nightingale for picking such a despicable person in her music video when she had a better option more than willing to help!” Alya grinned deviously. “Here it is!”

“No!” Lila slapped the phone down on the table in horror. _‘Maybe I went just a bit too far that time.’_

Alya pinned her bestie with a glare. “Why? Clara turned her back on you because Marinette was spreading her bullshit!”

She tapped her finger nail on the phone as she thought of a good enough story to make Alya back off while maintaining her sympathy. “I… I wouldn’t want Clara’s career to get damaged because she was fooled by some silly rumors.”

Alya’s brow lost the angered furrow and her hazel eyes softened. “Oh that is too sweet of you, gurl. Still worrying over your friend’s reputation even though she believes the worst in you. You are such a good friend.”

_‘God, what a hypocrite.’_ Lila thought to herself while smiling sweetly at her two dogs. _‘Reminds me why I never make friends.’_


	3. Royal Treatment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette gets an irresistible commission in Achu of all places.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I pretty much have all the chapters written up, so those who like it won't have to wait long. :3

Lila had noticed that Marinette was no longer sparing any attention to her classmates. Her rising popularity was bringing her more and more attention, but it seems she wanted nothing to do with Lila’s flock anymore. Despite their attempts to corner and talk to her, she has been successfully evading them. Maribrat’s aloofness towards Bustier’s class did not apply to those outside of it or the hoards of people who commented on her photos on Instagram and Twitter.

She hate, hate, HATED Maribrat’s growing pack of media followers, watching in jealous disdain as her social platform grew bigger and bigger. Lila had heard through the grapevine that Marinette had an online commission business that was becoming quite successful. The brunette contemplated going so far as to break into Marinette’s home and destroy some of her projects just to knock the brat back down into the dirt, but Lila never did her own dirty work. Getting the class to bully Maribrat was one thing. Getting them to commit a felony might be pushing it with this group. Despite their mean streaks, each student had their own bright futures and were well on their way to successful careers (at least until her lies came around to bite them in the ass) and they wouldn’t want to jeopardize that by getting a criminal record.

It wasn’t long after Lila discarded that idea when Madam Bustier clapped for the class’ attention. Maribrat stood at her side, things all packed and ready to go. “Alright everyone, I have some exciting news! Marinette will be out of school for a month while she travels to Achu. She was commissioned by Prince Ali himself to make special wedding garbs for his cousin’s upcoming nuptials!”

Marinette waved to a beaming Rose. “He told me to tell you thanks for the suggestion and he’ll send me back with plenty of souvenirs for you.”

Alya scoffed in disbelief. “Please! As if we’d believe someone like you would be invited to Achu by the Prince! Do I look stupid to you?”

Lila barely stopped herself from laughing. Alya, a wannabe journalist, believed her fanciful stories but not the most likely true, considering Maribrat’s business and skyrocketing popularity, announcement from Marinette. Still, Lila played along. “She’s right. Prince Ali never said anything to me about his cousin’s wedding.”

With a roll of her baby blue eyes, Marinette proceeded to say her piece. “Prince Ali said that his cousin, Naisha, saw pictures of my designs and would have no other make her dress. It helps that Rose spoke well of me to him, so I’ve been invited to make their wedding outfits. This is a huge deal for me.”

Alya turned in her seat to glare at the pink garbed girl. “Rose! How could you?”

The blonde held her hands up in self defense with Juleka silently lending her support. “It was ages ago!”

Alya ground her teeth in rage. “Well tell him about what a bitch she’s been lately! Make him see her for the bully she is and he could do better than her mediocre sketches!”

Madam Bustier gasped and pinned Alya with a disappointed scowl. “Miss Césaire! Marinette has worked hard to get where she is today and you ask your classmate to sabotage it over a disagreement?”

Dupain-Cheng looked at her homeroom teacher in shock of being the one defended for once. Adrien picked up where she left off and gently addressed Alya in hopes of diffusing the situation. “My dad likes Marinette’s designs. He said she has a lot of talent and he looks forward to seeing her ascension in the fashion world. Even the Style Queen praised Marinette. Her designs are far from mediocre.”

Alya seethed quietly and Lila was struck with an idea. She put on her best sad face and looked at the floor, whispering loud enough for Alya to hear. “You mean my designs.”

As predicted, Alya went off like a volcano. “What?! What do you mean by your designs?! MARINETTE, DID YOU STEAL HER DESIGNS?!?!”

The class damn near rose as one until an ice cold look of incomparable fury overtook Marinette’s normally sweet and genuine face. 

Her voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the venom that laced her words for all to hear. “You listen and you listen well, Lila Rossi. I have had two people try to pawn off my designs as their own in a professional setting. The first was Chloe for a Gabriel derby hat competition. It was easy to prove that it was my design and I ended up winning. The second was XY when he stole both Kitty Section’s music and my costume to which CHat Noir and Ladybug helped to out him on live tv. Since then, I have taken great care in documenting my ideas and saving them in both my portfolio and my computer. If I were you, I would think twice about claiming my work as your own. You so much as insinuate I would ever steal credit for someone else’s work again, and I’ll sic my lawyer on you so fast it’ll make your head spin.”

Marinette abandoned the room, leaving behind her classmates to pursue her blooming career. While the students watched on silently, Madam Bustier addressed the class. “Now class, onto today’s literary lesson.”

Lila rolled her eyes alongside Alya. The blogger sneered at the door. “She’s not going to Achu. I bet she’s just cowering at home all month.”

Lila agreed with her, but felt the barb as if the insult was aimed at her.


	4. She's Got Style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People are taking interest in Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

It was true. Marinette went to Achu and made the wedding garbs for Junaid and Naisha’s nuptials. There was too much photographic evidence for it not to be true. Not only was Marinette generous with the pictures on her own account, but Prince Ali and his family also posted their own photos, videos, and glowing opinions of the wedding party’s clothes. They said that the garbs were a beautiful mix of traditional and modern and were praised for the talent and quality behind each piece. 

Marinette practically became a celebrity to rival Jagged Stone. Even he was singing her glory all over his social platforms alongside Clara Nightingale. The designer’s number of followers reached well into the billions and was still growing by the minute. Celebrities from every field were commenting on the teenager’s talent and stated how they wanted a Marinette Original of their own.

It was enough to make Lila sick.

If that wasn’t bad enough, her grip on the school was starting to slip. Everyday students would walk up to her and ask her questions about some of her old stories. She’d retell them with all the confidence of an experienced politician and they would nod in disinterest and walk away. She was getting looks in the hallway as she walked by, and not the good kind. Just the other day she heard Max talking with a blonde pig tailed girl from another class about her. Max spoke about Lila’s supposed connection to Jagged Stone only for blondie to bring up the fact that Jagged only had a pet crocodile. Later in science class, Madam Mendeleiev talked about human hearing. She brought up airplane engines and how anything over 120 decibels can cause immediate harm to the ear. She explained how those who work in airplane tarmacs were required to wear noise canceling headphones to protect their hearing as tinnitus could be developed over long exposure to loud sounds. 

Max had raised his hand. “Miss Mendeleiev? Could one develop tinnitus from a single encounter with a backfiring airplane engine?”

The teacher shook her head. “Absolutely not. Without protection, standing next to an airplane engine that backfired would destroy the eardrum. You wouldn’t get tinnitus, you would go deaf.”

It sailed over most of the class’ heads, but Max had been awakened. So had Alix. 

Lila had been avoiding them since then, but she could feel their stares on her back. It hardly mattered anyway. Alix was usually too busy with her sports to pay her any mind, but Max was a tech nerd that did a lot of her homework. No matter. If they confronted her and she couldn’t ensnare them back into her web, she would threaten them the same way she threatened Marinette.

Not that the little trollop was suffering as she intended. 

She was shocked out of her inner rambling when Chloe Bourgeois came storming into class with Sabrina hot on her heels. “I can’t believe it! This is utterly ridiculous!”

Adrien sighed and turned to his childhood friend. “What’s wrong, Chlo.”

“Didn’t your daddy tell you?” Chloe fell into her seat, arms crossed and pouting like a child. “Marinette and Style Queen announced that they will be doing a collaboration. They’ll be hosting a fashion show on Heroes Day honoring the heroes of the city. AND I WON’T BE ONE OF THE MODELS!!!”

In that second, her phone pinged cheerfully as if to mock her mood. The uppity heiress looked at the screen and froze as she read through whatever it was that was sent to her. Her bad mood faded like mist in the summer sun. Though she still pouted, everyone could practically feel her elation. “Nevermind. Marinette asked me to be the model for her Queen Bee line.”

Nino twisted in his chair to look back at Lila. “Didn’t you say Audrey Bourgeois would never do a collaboration with anyone?”

Lila gritted her teeth indignantly as she put on her best smile. “I guess she changed her mind.”

Adrien smiled so brightly that the class had to squint. “It was probably because of Marinette’s work with a royal family. Who else can say they designed for a royal?”

‘WHERE’S A GODDAMN AKUMA WHEN I NEED ONE???’ Lila screamed within her own mind as her nails dug into the laminate of her desk. 

At the Agreste mansion, Gabriel Agreste sneezed and sniffled under his 1200 thread count egyptian cotton sheets. “This is why I stay home. Humans are disgusting.”


	5. Silver Screen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette cannot be stopped.

Lila was ecstatic when she received the email about an upcoming shoot. She finally had something new tell the class and hopefully divert their attention away from Maribrat and her string of successful commissions with famous clients. She had recently designed for some Gold Medalist and both Kim and Alix had been frothing at the mouth about possibly asking her for an autograph. 

Ugh. Kim. 

It would seem that Max and Alix had gotten to the meathead as he had since stopped attending her story time lies with the rest of her flock. The three would occasionally look at her in stupefied shock before going back to whatever they were doing.

She tried to ignore it, but the decrease of her admirers unnerved Lila. Kim had been one of her most staunch defenders and consistently carried her things for her in what was an obvious ploy to earn her affections. Adrien was her goal, he was her ticket to the Parisian elite afterall, but she strung Kim along because she liked the attention he gave her. Now it was gone.

As the morning sun of the photoshoot streamed through her curtains and pierced through her eyelids and ignited a headache, Lila felt that the universe was out to get her. Her muscles were sore, her sinus was congested, and she had a fever of 38.3 Celsius.

Cursing up a storm, Lila got up and texted the shoot’s manager that she had woken up with a fever. The reply came quickly, assuring her that a replacement could be found easily and well wishes for better health. Lila went back to bed and fell asleep instantly.

When she woke up again, school was just letting out and she was thirsty. Her phone pinged with messages from her classmates asking her where she’d been and offering to share notes. Her eyes strayed back to the earlier text from the manager and Lila was struck with a sudden and excruciating epiphany. 

She was replaceable.

She was just another model, another face among many in Gabriel magazines and advertisements for the brand. Adrien was still a main feature, but he had been regulated to solo work lately and Lila hadn’t done a shoot with him since December of last year. If she were to quit or get sick or get fired, it wouldn’t affect the brand at all. Gabriel would go on to make more clothes, Adrien would be the face of his company, and they would just hire another model itching to take her spot.

Lila spied on Adrien for Gabriel, and sowed discord for Hawkmoth, but that’s the extent of her importance. People got upset without her help everyday. She had been targeting Maribrat since day one of their alliance and the girl had yet to be Akumatized. All of her effort, while maintaining her deal with Adrien to leave his precious friend alone (when he’s looking), was poured into making Marinette miserable and it hasn’t been working. In contrast, Dupain-Cheng was becoming one of the most in demand designers in Paris if not the world. All appearances would suggest that Marinette had given up on her class of fairweather friends and went on to pursue her dreams with staggering success.

Paired with her loss of blinded followers, Lila was overcome with a wave of depression. Seeing Marinette achieve greatness with her own talent, her own two hands, made Lila reflect on her life. Nearly 16 years old attending a school for the talented and ambitious and what did she have to show for it? A series of outlandish tales. A clique of idiots that was one discredited story away from turning on her like they did their Everyday Ladybug. A part time job as a model for a global brand. A childlike dream of one day being an actress on the silver screen. 

_‘Just another pretty face in a world full of them._

Her phone trilled with a news article. As soon as her eyes caught that oh so achingly familiar name, Lila almost threw up. She didn’t want to see another success story about that goody goody, but maybe this time it was something embarrassing. Maybe she had been caught stalking Adrien? Or she drastically fucked up some bigwig’s commission and they’ve begun a smear campaign against her. Or maybe it was a photo of Marinette in a compromising position with a married man twice her age. 

She could hope. 

Hoping beyond hope that the universe had shifted in her favor, Lila tapped at the news icon. Lila’s hopes were dashed like waves on a rocky shore as she read through the latest headline. 

**Marinette signs contract with Basielburg!**

Lila only got through a few sentences of the article, but it was enough to get the jist. Marinette Dupain-fucking-Cheng would be collaborating with Basielburg for the costumes for one of his upcoming films. 

Text messages starting assaulting her phone as the class reacted to the news. She was tempted to spread more poison, insisting that it was totally fake. It could work. 

Nino:  
Think Mari will mention me to Basielburg?! 

She threw her phone at the wall and succumbed to the call of her bed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basielburg is a stand in for another famous director we all know and love. :3


	6. Nadja Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class watches an interview of the Style Queen and Marinette.

Lila seethed as she watched Face to Face alongside the class. Bustier had put it on leiu of actually teaching anything because ‘we should show our support for Marinette’ or some shit like that. The girl in question was as red as a tomato and slouched in her seat as every watched the recording of Friday night’s show. On the screen, Marinette boasted and handmade qipao made of hand painted silk depicting a galaxy of pinks and reds on a black backdrop. It was a beautiful masterpiece, and Lila envied it.

Nadja Chamack smiled into the camera as she started the show. “Good evening and welcome to Face to Face with Nadja Chamack. Today I’m joined by Audrey Bourgeois and Marinette Dupain-Cheng talking about their upcoming collaboration. Audrey, you are known for your high expectations and once claimed that you would never work with anyone. What changed your mind?”

The blonde gave a haughty sniff. “Because Marinette is one of the most talented designers I have ever seen. When I heard about her recent clientele, I decided to snatch her up as an apprentice before some moron got their hands on her and ruined her talent. We’ve already started finalizing the designs and she does not disappoint.”

Marinette blushed and jumped in with her commentary. “Don’t let her lie to you. Her advice really helped me when it came to finalizing the designs.”

Audrey’s eyes rolled behind her glasses. She flicked the moon ornament dangling from the hair stick impaling her high bun. “Those designs are your own. I only offered a bit of advice. You’re the one who dreamed them up.”

Nadja grinned at the pair on her couch. “You two have such a wonderful dynamic. How does it feel to work with such a big name in fashion, Marinette?”

“Like a dream!” The bluenette beamed with joy. “Never in a million years could I have imagined getting such a chance to work alongside the Style Queen as an equal.”

“Working with Marinette is such an experience. Talent and skill of her calibre are exceptionally rare to find in one so young. Our fashion show, which will be taking place in three months, will showcase the most spectacular pieces of haute couture within this century or my name isn’t Audrey Bourgeois.”

Nadja clapped her hands. “That is quite the promise! Is there anything you can tell us about the clothes that will be seen?”

Marinette shook her head. “Only that they were inspired by our fine city’s heroes and protectors. Each line will consist of daily wear, exercise gear, evening wear, and business casual for both men and women. We have a lot of work cut out for us.”

“Yet she still maintains her commission works, isn’t that something?” Audrey smirked into her hand. “In fact, I do believe that Marinette here will be heading out to Gotham, New Jersey to meet her newest wealthy client and his hoard of single sons.”

“Audrey! That’s supposed to be a secret!” Marinette blushed madly as she tried to conceal her face from the camera’s view.

“Best of luck to you both.” Nadja turned her gaze back to the camera. “That’s all the time we have for today. Thank you for joining us at Face to Face with Nadja Chamack.”

The class erupted into applause and cheers as Madam Bustier turned off the tv and flashed a proud smile at the girl of the hour. “Marinette, I am so proud of you and how far you’ve come! You looked so beautiful in that dress, and you didn’t stutter once!”

Alix leaned back in her chair to grin at their famous classmate. “Yeah! You were super awesome! I couldn’t have done it better myself!”

Rose wriggled in her seat. “Oh, I can’t wait to see your first fashion show!”

Lila, angry at the lack of attention, leaped into the fray with her latest lie that would surely earn her the praise she deserves. “You might not see them, but say hello to Bruce Wayne for me.”

That got the class’ attention. Alya’s phone materialized in her hand in her hand as she leaned in close. “You know Bruce Wayne?”

Lila basked in the glow of adoration. “More like I know his sons. Dick Grayson and I are childhood friends. We spent quite a lot of time together and grew really close. He was so heartbroken when I left that I’d swear he must have been in love with me.” The class tittered and cooed over such a story.

Marinette’s voice of reasoning broke through Lila’s haze. “What age did you leave him?”

She concealed the roll of her eyes and used her sweetest voice to answer. “Why I believe I was twelve when I last saw him.”

“Then I’ll be sure to contact the authorities when I reach Gotham seeing as Dick would have been I’d say 26 when we were twelve.” The children gasped .

Lila blanched and tried to backpedal. “No no. Dick babysat me and Tom Todd! I was talking about Tom when I spoke of my childhood sweetheart.”

Marinette didn’t bother to hide her baby blues as they rolled dramatically in their sockets. “Are you talking about _Jason_ Todd or _Tim_ Drake? Either or, it’s just as bad. Jason would have been I’d think 20-ish and Tim would have been 18. Maybe. I’m not that good at mental math. Maybe Max knows.”

The boy’s tiny robot friend was already answering. “Marinette is right. There is quite the age gap between the three adopted sons of Bruce Wayne and his sole biological heir of six years between Tim Drake and Damian Wayne who is remarked as not having been formally introduced to his father until he was ten.”

Lila ground her teeth as the class whispered worriedly between themselves. Alya gasped in horror and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “They didn’t… touch you or anything, did they?”

A slow exhalation and Lila took the easiest way out she could without risking that particular lie reaching the ears of the Wayne family and their hoard of ruthless lawyers. “Of course not. I’m like family to them. They love me like a sister. Especially Damian. He was always trailing after me.”

Marinette shrugged her dainty shoulders. “I’ll be sure to ask when I see them for our first consultation. I’ll even post pictures on my instagram.”

Attention was back on her and Lila hated her even more.


	7. Whining Over a Wayne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette is back from Gotham and was followed by some exciting news.

Nino. Nathaniel. Juleka. Rose. Ivan and Mylene. 

Who are they? Why, the people who left her listed from first to last since Kim. All she had left was Alya. Dear sweet, gullible-beyond-belief Alya who was oblivious to the shift in class loyalty. Marinette returned with a vengeance and she was approached by her classmates. One by one they apologized to her. And she forgave them with a genuine smile. Marinette still preferred her own company, turning down invitations to lunches and outings, but didn’t seem to hold a grudge.

Lila was just astounded. Honestly and truly shocked. Lila had turned everyone against her, gotten her expelled, manipulated her dear friends into bullying her. Yet she didn’t have a single bad word to say against them, at least not to their face. 

At least she wasn’t completely stupid. Whenever someone mentioned one of her many connections, she would divert the conversion away from herself. If someone flat out asked her for a favor, like Nino, she politely declined claiming it would be unprofessional. When news of her new relationship with Damian Wayne, the fucking Damian Wayne: Ice Prince of Gotham and all around cruel asshole, reached the media, of course Alya harassed her for an interview. That was the day Marinette finally snapped.

“Come on, gurl!” Alya whined pathetically as if a higher pitch would hypnotize Marinette into doing her bidding. “The Wayne’s are reclusive as it is, especially the youngest! You can talk him into giving me an interview!”

Marinette didn’t look up from her sketchbook. “I could, but I won’t.”

“Why nooot?!” The reporter’s drawn out whine was surely making the dogs of the neighborhood bark like mad. 

Marinette inhaled slowly through her nose. Her irritation was blatantly clear for all to see, all except Alya. “One; he doesn’t like giving interviews. Two; I like him very much and would never force him to do something he was uncomfortable with for three; a mediocre, wannabe journalist without two brain cells to rub together so she can post a heavily edited-to-suit-her-warped-reality video on her tabloid she calls a blog.”

Alya's amicable demeanor was swallowed whole by the fury of her rage. "My blog is not a tabloid!!!"

The class was listening in at this point. Marinette didn't do much as flinch unlike the rest of her peers. "You write unsubstantiated articles with only one person's word as evidence. So I guess you're right. Even tabloids present more evidence than that."

Everyone jumped at the chiming of the final bell yet no one got up to collect their bags. Marinette took her time getting her notebooks and pencils situated as Alya gaped and stuttered at the audacity of her ex-best friend talking to her in such a manner. "But… I…. You owe me!!!!"

Marinette froze, her back straightening suddenly as she registered the reporter's declaration. The bluenette turned slowly to face her classmate. The ice in her gaze would have made the winds of the Arctic shudder. "Excuse you? You want to repeat that? I don't think I heard you correctly because it almost sounds as if you just claimed that I am somehow in your debt."

Alya took a step back, but maintained her surly attitude. "You owe me for all the times I spent planning your stupid escapades because you were too much of a coward to confess your feelings to Adrien!"

The class all gasped as one, the girls especially, when Alya broke the girl code. 

Marinette arched one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows as she stared her classmate down. "If I remember correctly, you strongarmed me into many of those schemes despite my discomfort. In addition, any feelings I may have had for Adrien have since died a tragic death the moment I realized what a doormat he was. I’m happy that he and Kagami are together, I really am, and I wish them the best. Thank you though for trying to extort me for an interview with my boyfriend. You are truly a one of a kind friend.” The last sentence was laced with heavy sarcasm.

Adrien looked completely shell shocked at the news. “You like me?”

Alya pressed forward as if she hadn’t heard him. “Don’t lie to me! You had your entire life planned out around Adrien! You’re probably just using that poor guy to make Adrien jealous! Well how would you like it if I were to tell him of your little plan?”

“You really like me?” Adrien reiterated in a daze.

Marinette rolled her eyes, having not heard the blond boy or just didn’t care. “Damian knows about that stupid crush. It was one of the first things we talked about and actually led to us bonding over how stupid first love can make people act.”

“So I’m supposed to believe that your all encompassing love for Sunshine Boy disappeared overnight and was replaced with a love for a filthy rich, reclusive man?” Alya scoffed mockingly as she stood across from Marinette with her hands on her hips.

Poor Adrien was still coming to terms with Alya’s reveal. “Marinette helped me date Kagami even though she liked me…”

Marinette collected her things and sweeped them into her handmade messenger bag. “My feelings for Adrien did not disappear overnight. If you had spent any kind of time with me in the past year, you would have noticed that I had been distancing myself from him and have been slowly getting over my frankly unhealthy obsession. It took months for my heart to let him go and I spent many months more working on myself. Now I have a lovely boyfriend who accepts me as accept him and I can see myself being very happy with him. If you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment with Jagged for a suit fitting and it would be very unprofessional of me to be late.”

Lila watched Marinette leave with her head held high as she had every right to be confident. She had her own blooming designing business that, if the media was to be trusted, had become one of the biggest brands in the world to rival Style Queen. Marinette was now in a relationship with one of the most eligible bachelors of their generation who was branching off and establishing his own brand of private security that was estimated to grow dramatically within the next decade.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had it all: fame, talent, love. A following of adoring fans. 

Everything Lila has ever wanted. 

In that moment, Lila was filled with unbridled rage at the unfairness of it all. What did that goody goody do to deserve her good fortune anyway?! So what if she could draw a few dresses! Big whoop! There are dozens of designers in Paris just itching for a chance to enter the competitive world of fashion. Why did it have to be Maribrat that got the big break and not any of the other aspiring fashion designers?

It was so unfucking fair!

“Hey girl. You okay?” Lila jerked back to reality and twisted her head to regard Alya. The classroom had emptied for the day and they were the only two left.

Dear, sweet, gullible-beyond-belief Alya who took every word out of her mouth as if it were gospel.

An old idea resurfaced in her mind and Lila had to stop the wicked smirk from forming on her face. Perhaps it was time to knock Maribrat down a few pegs. And she knew just the person to do it.

With a perfectly sorrowful face, Lila addressed Alya with tears forming in her eyes. “Oh Alya. Why must life be so cruel?”

Alya sat down next to her, her expression soft and compassionate. “What’s wrong, Lila?”

She let a few tears fall. “Damian and I used to be so close. I still remember the day we staged our own little wedding when we were little. To think that he would date Marinette is so unbearable.”

Alya’s gaze darkened with fury. “She is such a bitch. How can that boy not see her for the lying witch she is?!”

_‘Hook.’_

Lila brought a hand up to wipe at her face. “And I’m so happy that everyone loves my designs, but it hurts that Marinette is getting all the credit.”

“I know, right?!” Alya’s fury sparked to a flame as Lila materfully stoked the embers. “Her own designs were so fucking pathetic that she had to go and steal yours!”

_‘Line.’_

Lila looked up at dear, sweet, gullible-beyond-belief Alya with teary eyed hope. “But it’s okay. I’m just glad she’s happy. Maybe now she’ll stop bullying me.”

She could practically feel the raging inferno of Alya’s ire. Her eyes took on a determined glint as she slammed both her hands on the desk. “Well it’s not okay! I think it’s about time we teach Maribrat a lesson!”

_‘Sinker.’_


	8. Checkmate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has a lot of preventative measures to keep people from stealing her work.

Apparently Marinette and a security camera in her room. Who knew?

Lila was sitting outside the conference room, like a good friend, where the Césaire and Dupain-Cheng family and their respective lawyers presented their cases to a judge in a private hearing. Apparently, the evidence was so cut and dry that it wouldn’t even make it to a jury. Not even half an hour passed before the door opened and the Dupain-Cheng family emerged victorious. Maribrat didn’t so much as spare her a glance as the blunette passed by and it served to only infuriate Lila. She was distracted by the downtrodden Alya who trudged behind her scowling parents and their irate lawyer.

Alya spotted Lila. The blind adoration was gone, replaced with subdued disbelief. The young journalist sent her parents a pleading look and they nodded, keeping their distance as Alya shuffled towards Lila. The two began talking and looked away, giving the two teens the semblance of privacy.

She looked at the crestfallen girl with a look of fake sympathy. “What happened in there? You look so sad.”

Alya resembled a fish the way her mouth opened and closed as she thought over what to say. Eventually she gathered her thoughts enough to address the Italian girl. “Lila… were those designs really yours?”

Feelings of foreboding swelled in Lila’s chest, but Alya and her blog was all she had left. “Of course they are! Did Marinette…”

“Because I just heard some pretty compelling evidence that everything Marinette has ever designed came from her own mind.” Alya cut her off and continued. “There were videos of her drawing, step-by-step descriptions of how she goes about creating a pattern for her creations, and ways to identify a designer’s trademarks. Each and every last one of the designs Marinette presented to the judge shared her trademarks and signature. So I’m going to ask again; did Marinette ever steal from you?”

There was a flicker of desperate hope in Alya’s eyes, a deep seated need to see her hatred of Marinette verified so that she would not have to face the fact that she had been lied to and manipulated. Alya, the aspiring journalist and self-proclaimed seeker of truth, led to believe in fanciful lies that soured her opinion of her once best friend.

Lila knew she could still work with that desperation. She had done so before. People were so eager to hear what they wanted to hear that they disregarded all evidence pointing to the contrary to live in the delusion she provided for them. A delusion that saw them as the keepers of justice when in truth they were twisted into her mindless attack dogs ready to rip into anyone she so much as pointed at without question. 

She could give Alya that little bit of hope to latch onto and continue stringing her along easily, but would it be worth the effort?

Alya Césaire had landed herself in some very hot water. She now had a criminal record that included breaking and entering, destruction of personal property, and defamation of character. Her reputation was going to take a major blow once word got out about what she had done. She could kiss any hope of a successful career as a reporter goodbye. 

There was portraying herself as being a loyal friend, and then there was tying yourself to a sinking ship. And Lila was not letting this idiot drag her down. 

Dropping all pretense, Lila showed her true feelings on the matter. “Nope. Honestly, the thought of that goody goody committing petty theft is actually pretty funny. Dupain-Cheng is too much of a coward to ever take a risk like that.”

Alya jerked back in surprise. This was obviously not how she anticipated how this conversation would go. “But… you… I….”

“I was hoping getting her once best friend to break into her room and just tear through everything would have sent her into a downward spiral of depression, but it seems she’s gotten smarter.” Lila had to give credit where credit was due: Dupain-Cheng was quite the clever, cunning cookie. “I didn’t think she'd actually go so far as to press charges against you with all that compassion and forgiveness bullshit she spouts on a regular basis.”

Alya gaped at her, her eyes freezing over in horror as she slowly came to realize just what she had done… and how she had gotten to this point. “Marinette said you were a liar…” Her voice was so soft, quiet, and still tinged with a hint of disbelief. 

She flipped her hair back in a practiced move of disinterest. “I know. She caught on immediately. I was almost impressed. Thankfully, I was able to ruin her reputation enough among the class that none of you would believe her. It was easy, too easy actually. After seeing the way you all treated her, I think I deserve a thank you gift.”

“Wha… What?” Alya gasped, her hazel eyes growing glossy.

Lila rolled her eyes. “Everyone in class adored Marinette, the Everyday Ladybug! She would bend over backwards if it meant making her friends happy. She set aside time in her own schedule to accommodate everyone else and happily dedicated her time to crafting things at her friends request without charging them a cent. Clothes, accessories, sport banners, babysitting… all done for free simply because she called you all friends. Yet when I come along and spin a few bullshit stories, the entire class turned on her like rabid wolves. To be frank, you all are far worse than I could ever be.”

That seemed to snap Alya out of her daze, her fury ignited. “You lied to me! Lied to the class! Spread rumors about the kindest girl to ever walk the planet! How the hell could I be worse than you?!”

Lila smirked and leaned in close. “I may be a liar, but you were all too eager to break into Marinette’s room to destroy her commissions. True, I spread lies and rumors about Dupain-Cheng, but you chose to believe them.”

That final statement took all the wind out of Alya’s sails and her legs shook with effort just to keep her propped up. “That’s not true…”

With a scoff, Lila pushed onward. “You were never really Marinette’s friend. No one in the classroom was, really. You all were just using her to get free shit. As soon as someone better came along, you all happily tossed her aside like garbage with only a sob story and some planted evidence as your reasoning. I saw you all for the toxic trash you were, and now Marinette sees it too.”

Confident and more than ready to move on to greener pastures, Lila turned on her heel and strutted down the hallway with a final mocking jab at the freshly minted criminal. “Good luck with your journalistic career!”


	9. Waive Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here comes Karma.

Alya had tried to pin Lila as the orchestrator of her crime, but no one would listen. Lila had walked away from any legal trouble with a completely faked heartfelt tale. She didn’t even have to lie that time. All Lila had to do was paint Marinette as the villain and Alya proposed the idea of destroying Maribrat’s room. She even showed them the video Alya texted her showing herself waltzing into the Dupain-Cheng home and her trek to the teen’s room all while highlighting how she was going to ruin Marinette’s day. Lila had tapped out of going herself by claiming a sudden stomach bug as she didn’t want to get her fingerprints anywhere near the room in case Marinette had called the police. Lila walked away scot free and Alya was put on complete lockdown.

Getting her mother to transfer her to a different school was all too easy. A few tears and a sob story had her moved before the week was out. Her mother was still stationed in Paris and she didn't want to return to her father's care with his nomadic lifestyle, so this was the best she could do. Her new school was filled to the brim with morons who flocked to her stories as if she were the Messiah. The Ladyblog has been taken down so there was no evidence of old lies which allowed her to start off fresh. 

Three months passed and Lila had it pretty good if she did say so herself. She had a group of mindless followers who bought her lunches everyday and no one smart enough to call her out. That was until she woke up one morning to find her mother talking with two police officers in the living room. She was pinned with a glare as soon as she walked through the door. 

"Delilah Cathleen Rossi." The full name. This couldn't be good. "Come here right now."

Delilah, Lila for short, cautiously padded into the room and to her mother's side. "Mama, what's going on? Who are these people? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Her scowl deepened. "No, you are if what these gentlemen have told me is true. Did you lie about taking a trip with me to Achu for two months?"

Lila blanched and scrambled to cover her tracks. "No! No, mama! I would never say something like that!"

One of the men, an older gentleman with silver streaked red hair pulled out a thick manilla folder. "Delilah Rossi, you've been served and will face trial for truancy, slander, defamation of character, spreading misinformation, unapproved photography, falsifying legal forms,..." 

"No! I have diplomatic immunity!" Lila pulled away from the men and tried to hide behind her mother who kept moving out of the way. "Tell them, mama!"

Cadenza Rossi grabbed her daughter by the arm and dragged her front and center. "I waived your diplomatic immunity so that you could face the consequences of your actions. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to be interrogated over the misuse of embassy funds because your daughter has been bragging about going globe trotting on a public blog? To learn that the longest Akuma battle lasted all of three hours and that my daughter's school had never been closed longer than a day despite your daughter's stories saying otherwise!"

_'She's embarrassed?! She doesn't know the meaning of embarrassment!'_ Lila was crying for real this time, her face and neck hot with humiliation. "Mama! Whatever they told you is a lie!"

There was no sympathy in her brown eyes, no trust. All that was left was the fire of anger and betrayal. "They already have all the evidence they need, Delilah! Do you know how many people are suing you?! Alya Cesaire, Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, XY, the School Board, the embassy..."

Lila latched onto the first name. "Alya? My old classmate?"

"She's been leading the charge." The other man did, his hair more grey than black like it used to be. His forest green gaze was cold and unfeeling. "It's thanks to all her old interviews of you that tipped us off. Finding more on you was easy from there."

She was in shock. Alya? That gullible, starstruck imbecile was the one suing her? She could work with this. It had to work. "But Alya is a bully! Didn't you hear about that time she got arrested for breaking and entering? She destroyed her classmate's room! All her commission projects, her source is income! She's obviously lying!"

Madam Rossi was having absolutely none of it. The wool had been forcefully ripped from her eyes and she would not be fooled any longer. "You mean that old friend of yours? Don't think I don't remember all the times you talked about her and what a great friend she was to you!"

Lila was handed the folder with all the information she would need. After the agents of the law left, Lila had been forced to sit in the living room and go over each lawsuit with her mother. 

It was during the review of the School Board case against her that an Akuma finally made an appearance. Lila grinned with murderous glee and accepted the connection to Hawkmoth through her necklace. 

"Volpina. We meet again." Hawkmoth's voice was dark and promising. "You've been betrayed by one you used to call friend. I'm giving you the power to get your revenge, but in return you must give me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous." 

"With pleasure, Hawkmoth." The purple miasma overtook her form and left behind the villain Volpina.


	10. Fizzle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is no escape from Karma's clutches.

She didn't even last twenty minutes as Volpina. Even now Lila could swear she still felt Ladybug's punches. There were no bruises, but her bones and muscles still ached from the beating she took from Paris' most beloved superhero. She guessed it was a side effect of willingly accepting an Akuma. Now here she was, in a private trial consisting of the defense team, the plaintiff team, the judge, and a representative of the Italian government. Lila’s mother sat against the far wall offering no support. The representative looked on in indifferent disapproval.

Lila sat silently as the plaintiff ruthless delivered the practical mountain of evidence against her: videos, interviews, witness testimonies. Alya stood tall and exuded confidence with her arms crossed and head held high. Her own lawyer was rubbing circles into his temples. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. When evidence supporting her sheer campaign against Marinette was presented, he shot her a side eyed glare of disdain. She matched his glare with her own without regret. 

After the opposing lawyer was finished, her lawyer didn't even try to sound convincing as he delivered his pre-written statement. This statement included many of her own tales of charities and deeds she had done and how she couldn't possibly be the cold hearted bully the plaintiff painted her to be. He only just finished when the opposing lawyer smirked and ripped apart the defense without mercy. She started by calling out the charities Lila had made up, insinuating she could also tack charity fraud in Lila's list of crimes if she had ever collected money for them, and then went on to whip out solid, cross referenced evidence of the real minds behind the existing charities for which Lila had taken credit.

It’s not even funny how quickly the judge decided Lila’s fate. Not only was she given permanent restraining orders against all the celebrities she had lied about but she was to be sent back to Italy to live out the rest of her adolescence in juvenile detention, never to set foot in France again. In addition she would attend obligatory weekly therapy sessions. After she turned 18, she would remain under probation for another five years. 

The case was closed and Alya shot to her feet. “That’s it?! She lies and ruins lives, ruins my life, and she gets a few years in juvie??”

Her lawyer smirked in victory. “She’s banned from France and will be back home in Italy by day’s end. She’s still a minor.”

“I have a criminal record because of her!!!” Alya bellowed in rage. 

Her family lawyer pinned her with a glare. “Lila Rossi may have lied to you, but you’re the one who chose to believe her. You didn’t verify her stories, you took her word over any other. She told you a tall tale, but you acted on it. She didn’t hold a gun to your head when you trashed another person’s room. Be grateful that your history with one of the mentioned bully victims didn’t affect the trial.”

Lila was escorted out of the building by the guards and out of Paris by Ladybug and Chat Noir. There was no paparazzi, no journalists, no crowd of friends to wish her well. It was only her tearful and angry mother who only told her that she had reached out to Gabriel to void the contract as Lila had forged her mother’s signature on the official document. Cadenza Rossi did not hug her daughter and Lila Rossi was glad she didn’t.

Lila Rossi was kicked out of Paris without so much as wave goodbye. It was the kind of ending she had meant to give Marinette. It was supposed to be the end of Marinette. She had taken her friends, spread rumors about her, and even got her kicked out of school. Marinette was affected, but only seemed to grow and move on to bigger and better things. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was building her own business through sheer determination and skills honed by years of practice. While Marinette had molded herself from the scarred bully victim into a fashion icon, Lila’s world had shattered and left her with nothing.

Lila’s empire was destroyed. Not with a bang, but with a fizzle and no one left to care.


End file.
